


The First Seven Days

by absolutely_mendokusai



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Moving In Together, Pining, South Downs Cottage (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 05:30:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21422965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/absolutely_mendokusai/pseuds/absolutely_mendokusai
Summary: On the very first day of the rest of their lives, Crowley and Aziraphale left the Ritz, arm in arm. They walked around St. James Park. Aziraphale smiled at the ducks while Crowley panicked.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 123





	The First Seven Days

On the very first day of the rest of their lives, Crowley and Aziraphale left the Ritz, arm in arm. They walked around St. James Park. Aziraphale smiled at the ducks while Crowley panicked. 

There was no need for the arrangement now. They were safe from their superiors for a few centuries, at least. There was nothing stopping Aziraphale from wandering off, from leaving him. They were friends, Crowley supposed. Or were they? Aziraphale had said they weren’t, but he didn’t really mean that, right? If Aziraphale left or didn’t want to be around Crowley anymore, then it was all for nothing. 

“What are you going to do now?” he asked Aziraphale. Are you going to stay in London? Move to France? Allow me to be around you? Do you still want to meet up every other week for walks in the park and for drinks at your bookshop? Despite things being not, can we keep things the same?

Aziraphale didn’t get the intricacies of the question though. “I want to go back to my bookshop, see what changes Adam made.”

“Yes, but then what?” asked Crowley, pushing.

“Oh, I don’t know. I suppose we can do anything now, can’t we? There’s nothing stopping us.”

Crowley nodded. ‘We’ instead of ‘I’. A sign of hope, that he would be allowed to bask in the light at least a little bit longer. 

“What are you going to do?” asked Aziraphale.. 

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Go back to my flat, maybe. I could use a nap.”

“Not for another century?”

“Nah, just a few hours.”

“You should come back to the bookshop with me.”

“Really?” You don’t want a break for me?

“Of course. I know you do love sleeping on my couch.”

That was true. Aziraphale’s couch was soft, well-loved. The angel’s presence nearby reading a book at his desk also calmed Crowley.

“They aren’t going to come after us again this soon, angel.”

“I know, I just want you around.”

Crowley couldn’t say no to that.

\---

Aziraphale puttered around doing inventory on the new books while Crowley took a long nap on the couch. By the time he woke up, Aziraphale was sitting on an armchair across from him, deep in a Just William book.

“Really?” said Crowley.

“There’s nothing wrong with exploring a new genre. Besides, it would be rude to just ignore the gift.”

Crowley rolled his eyes.. 

“Want some wine?”

“Please, angel.”

So, they drank some more. Eventually the conversation floated once again towards the future.

“What are you going to do now, angel?” asked Crowley. And this time, Aziraphale understood.

“I’m not too sure, if I’m being honest. I don’t know what to do with all this freedom. It’s rather stressful.”

“You can spend all the time in the world reading books. There’s no one to stop you.”

“We don’t have to have the Arrangement anymore, do we?” said Aziraphale. Crowley’s heart sunk. Here it was. The rejection he feared. “We can spend as much time as we want without getting found out!” said Aziraphale, a hug smile on his face. 

Oh. That was better. “I suppose.”

“What do you want to do, Crowley? Whatever we do, it should be together.”

“Er… I don’t know.”

“What’s something you’ve always dreamed of doing?”

Him and Aziraphale, watching the stars late at night, with lots of alcohol and perhaps some cuddling. 

“I really don’t know,” lied Crowley. “I never really thought too far past the apocalypse.”

“I understand. Do you know what I want to do, Crowley? I’ve always wanted to go and live in a smaller town. I love London, but think about how less busy the bookshop would be in some hamlet somewhere?”

So he wanted to move? He would stay close enough to visit, right? “You could just not have a bookshop. I mean, you don’t need a headquarters anymore.”

Aziraphale nearly glowed with happiness. “Crowley, you’re a genius! I should just have a private library instead. Do you know what we should do? We should move outside the city, get a little cottage somewhere. ”

“We?” asked Crowley. It couldn’t be that the angel wanted them to live together, could it?

“Of course ‘we’. I just said we should everything together now, didn’t I? Oh, I should’ve asked your opinion. Do you want to move? We can stay in London if you really want to.”

Crowley, who’s only real reason for staying in London was that Aziraphale was nearby, nodded. “Of course. Are you sure?”

“I am.”

Aziraphale was terrified of Heaven and just in denial. That was the only explanation, the only reason he wasn’t getting rid of him, a clingy demon. Crowley didn’t mind. He would take what he could get.

And so, in the early morning of the second day of the rest of their lives, they planned for the future. 

\---

On the third day of the rest of their lives, they went house hunting. After some discussion, they settled on the South Downs, being relatively close to London so they could still go there and visit their favorite places.

Crowley was of the mind that they just miracle up a cottage. Aziraphale on the other hand, wanted to buy one. So they got a realtor, a young woman who showed them around. 

The first cottage they visited was quaint, and was a short walk from the sea. 

“Oh Crowley, this is just lovely, isn’t it? It has a garden for your plants, a nice kitchen- I would like to take up cooking you know. And it’s close by the sea.”

“Is this the one you want, angel?” he asked.

“Oh, we should look at a few more before we properly decide, you know? But I believe that this one is certainly a major contender.” 

Crowley smiled and nodded. 

“So, how long have you been together?” asked the realtor. Crowley coughed. 

Oh, of course she thought they were together. They were two adult men looking for a house with one bedroom, as Aziraphale didn’t sleep. 

“Six- Er, sixteen years,” said Aziraphale, quickly correcting himself. Crowley rolled his eyes, though he could feel a flush on his face. Again, Aziraphale didn’t get the intricacies.

“Yes, that’s how long we’ve been  _ friends  _ for,” said Crowley. 

“Best friends,” added Aziraphale with a smile.

“No one judges around here, you don’t have to worry about hiding,” said the realtor. 

“Good to know,” said Aziraphale, though it was clear he wasn’t too sure what she was alluding to. Crowley wanted to scream. 

They decided on the first cottage that they looked at. For humans buying a house could take a while, With some demonic intervention and an angelic miracle or two, they were able to purchase it instantly. 

“That lady,” said Crowley as he drove Aziraphale back to London, “she thought we were together together.” Aziraphale raised an eyebrow. “You know. Dating.”

“Oh. Uriel thought that. She said you were my boyfriend in the dark glasses.” Aziraphale chuckled. “Silly, what some humans assume.”

Crowley decided against telling Aziraphale nearly everyone that they met assumed they were together. It was a combination of many things. They knew each other very well, Aziraphale always gave off gay vibes, and Crowley wouldn’t be surprised if he gave off vibes of being deeply in love that was obvious to everyone expect the one recieving said love. 

\---

Crowley loved Aziraphale, loved him more and more as the years passed. Infatuation when he realized Aziraphale gave away the flaming sword which turned into love as he realized Aziraphale was the only good angel out there, the only one that actually cared about the humans. He knew however, that Aziraphale had no hope of being in love with him. Crowley knew he wasn’t the more subtle. He stared too much. He was too willing to do anything to make Aziraphale happy. But he always experienced rejection. He offered to take Aziraphale to the stars and Aziraphale said no without another thought. 

But weren’t they running away together now? Crowley thought that on the fourth day of the rest of their lives as he stood outside their new cottage, a suitcase in hand. He had already miracled all of the furniture he wanted inside.

“It clashes a bit, doesn’t it?” said Aziraphale, following him in, inspecting Crowley’s throne placed by Aziraphale’s tartan couch.

“It’s eclectic. A valid style,” Crowley lied. It was true. The sleek black looked strange next to the well-worn tartan, and Crowley felt a bit sick. There was no way this was going to work out in the long term, was it? Aziraphale would get sick being with him twenty-four seven and want him to leave. Would they even last a month?

“Eclectic. I like it,” said Aziraphale. 

Aziraphale wandered into the study and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the library was filled with bookshelves and about double the size. Crowley rolled his eyes.

“We won’t be able to invite anyone inside, they’ll realize it’s bigger on the inside.”

“I don’t plan on inviting anyone in. Ah, no more strangers looking at my books wanting to take them away.”

“It’s called buying.”

“How wonderful!” Aziraphale grabbed a Just William book and sat in a chair to read. “You can come in here, of course. Whenever you like.”

“I don’t read,” said Crowley. “You know that.”

Aziraphale rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes. If you ever change your mind though, well, I trust you with them.”

They went out for dinner at a local deli which wasn’t nearly as good as the Ritz, but it was enough for Aziraphale.

“We’re going to have to go to London every weekend to keep up with your love for fine dining,” said Crowley.

“Oh, places like this are fine. You can feel how much love the food was made with. It’s very quaint.”

Crowley rolled his eyes. “Sure, angel.”

“Maybe once a month we could drive up to London though, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Back at home, their home, Aziraphale read more Just William books while Crowley lounged on the couch in the study and pretended to play a game on his phone. In reality he was watching Aziraphale, his pleased smile. He ended up falling asleep on the couch.

\---

On the fifth day of the rest of their lives, they settled in.

Crowley inspected the yard. It would make a decent garden come spring. Maybe he could try growing vegetables, Aziraphale would like that, yes. He could get an apple tree, wouldn’t that be ironic? Of course, if he was allowed to stay that long. Maybe Aziraphale would get sick of him before spring came around. He sighed and prodded at the dirt. 

“Now, listen, you better be the most fertile dirt in London by the time spring comes around, all right? You’re going to grow good vegetables. And maybe some flowers.”

Pleased with his work, Crowley went back inside. A sweet smell drifted into his nose. He went into the kitchen. Aziraphale was covered in flour and pulling a tray out of the oven. Crowley looked at it. 

“You baked cookies?”

“Yes, I did. Do you want to try some?” Aziraphale waved his hand over them, cooling them off. Crowley took one and bit into it. Crunchy. They were a little burnt, but not to the point of being inedible. “They’re good,” he said.

Aziraphale slumped. “Oh, they’re burnt, I know.”

“It’s your first time cooking. You’ll get better.”

That night, Crowley watched some dull action show on TV while Aziraphale looked at cookbooks and marked his favorite pages.

“What would you like to eat, Crowley?” he asked.

Crowley shrugged. “You know me, I’m not huge on eating.”

“There has to be something you like.”

“I’ll try whatever you make.”

“I really don’t get why you don’t like eating,” said Aziraphale with a sigh.

“I really don’t get why you don’t like sleeping,” Crowley countered. Aziraphale opened his mouth and closed it. “See?”

“I’ve never really tried sleeping,” he said.

“Well, I’ve tried eating and I know I don’t like it. You got to try before you can judge.”

“I suppose so,” sighed Aziraphale.

Aziraphale went into the study and Crowley went to bed, falling asleep fast. He woke up in the middle of the night feeling a weight settling in besides him. He turned around. He turned around. Aziraphale was laying down besides him.

“What?” he asked. 

“I want to try sleeping. See if I can ‘get it’, as you said.”

“Then sleep on the couch,” said Crowley. He couldn’t do this, be so close to Aziraphale. 

“This bed’s big enough for the both of us.”

“But-”

“Sh,” said Aziraphale, and Crowley was too tired to argue. This was probably just a pleasant dream anyway.

\---

It wasn’t a dream.

On the sixth day of the rest of their lives, Crowley woke up to Aziraphale laying beside him.

They weren’t touching, but Aziraphale’s body was curled towards Crowley’s and was close enough that he could feel the warmth. 

Crowley did what any sensible man-shaped being would do in that situation, and that is get up, get in his car, and drive. 

He drove around the area, thinking long and hard. Just why did Aziraphale want him here? He didn’t seem worried about Heaven or Hell, no. He seemed very content to spend the days reading just like in London, expect now Crowley was around. It didn’t make any sense.

After an hour of driving, Crowley returned to the cottage. Aziraphale got out right away. 

“Where were you, Crowley? I was worried. I don’t mind you going on early morning drives, but you should at least leave a note or something.”

“What are we doing?” asked Crowley.

“What?”

“What are we doing here, playing house?”

“Do you not like it?” Aziraphale frowned. “If you don’t, we can go back to London.”

“What are we going to do from now on?” asked Crowley. “Stay here together forever?”

“Oh, I’m not sure about forever, that might get boring. A couple centuries, I was thinking. If you want to of course. Do you want to?”

“Of course I want to, I want to be wherever you’re at, but why do you want this?”

“Crowley, I don’t know what’s got you so worked up this early in the morning, but you really should come inside. I’ll make you some tea, how does that sound?”

Crowley went back inside and sat on the couch while Aziraphale puttered around in the kitchen, making tea.

“Now, you got to tell me what’s got you all worked up,” Aziraphale said, putting a cup in front of Crowley.

“You slept with me last night, I mean, we slept on the same bed.”

“Would you rather sleep alone? It’s a big bed so I thought you wouldn’t mind, but if you want privacy-”

“That’s not the problem! How can you be so- Ugh!”

“Can you just tell me what’s wrong?”

“We’re like this couch and that throne,” said Crowley, pointing at the furniture.

“Oh, eclectic!” said Aziraphale happily.

“No, a mess.”

Aziraphale deflated. “Oh. What’s the difference between eclectic and a mess?”

“Eclectic may not seem like it would fit together, but it somehow manages to. Messes are just that. Nothing matches.”

“You don’t think we fit together?” Aziraphale fidgeted. “I’m sorry, I thought-”

“The only reason while we’re friends, Aziraphale, is because of the Arrangement. You have no reason to like me. There’s no reason that you need me around anymore.”

“I don’t get it,” said Aziraphale. ”You think I only put up with you because of the Arrangement? You’re my dearest friend, Crowley, you do know that, right?”

“I don’t know. I mean, you did say we weren’t friends a week ago.”

“That was under very stressful circumstances. I didn’t actually mean it.”

Crowley sighed. “I know, or at least, I think I know. You’ve just been so… Hot and cold throughout the years. I don’t get-”

“I’m sorry, Crowley.” Aziraphale placed his hand over Crowley’s and it took all his nerve to not lurch away. “I should’ve been kinder to you over the years. You were always there for me, and I can’t say I did the same for you. Now we’re on our own side though. I don’t have to feel guilty about being with you anymore. We can do what we want, and what I want is for you to be by my side forever.”

Crowley could feel himself blushing. He pulled his hand away from Aziraphale’s. “Very touching, angel. You’re probably going to get sick of me eventually, but until then, sure, we can do whatever you want.”

“Why do you think I’ll get sick of you?”

Crowley shrugged. Because you don’t feel half the love towards me that I do towards you, because we’ll never be equally in love. “Just a feeling.”

“I won’t. Oh, we were going to have a picnic and I was going to tell you then,” said Aziraphale. “But you need to hear it now, don’t you?”

“Hear what?”

“I do love you, Crowley.” 

Crowley couldn’t breathe for a second, and felt light-headed before he remembered that he was a demon and didn’t have to breathe. “You think you love me?”

“I don’t think so, I know so, and I’m quite certain that you’re in love with me.”

“What makes you think so?” said Crowley, trying to keep his voice steady. Aziraphale gave him a look. “All right, so I’m a bit obvious. What makes you think that you’re in love with me?”

“Being with you makes me happy. I always miss you when you’re not around. That’s why I want to keep you around.”

“I- I miss you too when you’re not around,” said Crowley.

“Well, then it is love, isn’t it?”

Aziraphale cupped Crowley’s cheeks and kissed him. It was as if a spark of electricity went through his entire body. It was like he belonged.

\---

On the seventh day, they rested.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: Yeah, got nothing special to say. I have noticed my Good Omens stories are getting longer and longer. I’ll be writing 10k stories like the masters do in no time. 
> 
> Tumblr [here](https://peace-love-happiness.tumblr.com) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/happily_sad24) here.


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